availability to the rest of us?

When they turn Blue! LOL
I really don't know BUT I am sure someone will post the answer soon.

 

this is from the Toyota Prius Plug In website:

The Prius Plug-in will be available at participating dealers starting March 2012 in 15 launch states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. Availability will open up to all other states in 2013.​

 

Translation: It depends upon how well it sells.

 

That's kind of interesting because we can pre-order one from anywhere in Canada already. But hey we're kind of like one big US state LOL

 

Why did Toyota decide to do that?

 

they way they are selling, they should be available everywhere by next weekend.

 

LMAO wishful thinking

 

Does anyone know whether the above re: the 15 states is still true? Has it opened up to any more states?

 

If you live in Michigan, Dunning Toyota in Ann Arbor, MI just got a few shipped from an East Coast dealer this week and tell me that they are the only dealer with them in Michigan. So far, they are charging full sticker + cost of transporting (which they are covering with a paint/fabric protection package), per the salesperson. No real dealing in terms of price - at least yet. What I mean is that there have been no offers of 5 years 0% or any special lease prices as seen on many posts from the coasts). Yes, the 2012 PHPs have arrived to the Great Lakes state, if you are still waiting for one,.... as of tonight, they appear to have 3 clearblue, 2 seaglass pearl and 2 gray metallic in the lot. .

 

interesting! i wonder if east coast dealers are trying to unload them and if michigan is authorized to get them from the factory yet?

 

They aren't moving like they were during pre-order. I think a potential buyer is either in the market for a plug-in, or they're not. And I'm not thinking that market is very robust right now. People don't really know what to make of the plug-in PHEVs and EVs. They're still a novelty. With Prius PHEV, the buyer gets a known quantity - a Prius - with a different option - plug-in charging.

Any of the other PHEVs are unknown quantities at the moment. GM, Ford, etc. don't have much of a track record with hybrids or EVs. While the EV1 was a trail-blazer, it has bad PR for most of the public. Costco and other spots around town still have the old chargers - mostly just poles by now - but enough to remind folks that these initial EVs weren't supported long-term by GM.

Other EVs are then dropped in the same boat by association. None of them have been around long enough to garner much street cred yet, so mainstream buyers are understandably reluctant - even with the large federal tax credit, rebates and HOV priority in some states.

So it surprising that Prius PHEV isn't selling better, unless you look at the price. And that's what will have to change. Anyone in the flyover states who HAS to have one now will likely have to pony up like the pre-order buyers did. Or move to one of the coast states and get a better deal.

 

I actually emailed Costco last Wednesday or Thursday and asked them if they were going to install chargers at their locations....specifically Spokane, WA. They replied that they'd had a trial program in CA and that there wasn't much response so had them removed. And when I bought mine at a small town dealer, after the deal, he told me they were glad to be rid of it. (And he had two Advances to sell yet.)

Betcha the "novelty" of a plug in whatever has dropped and sales will suck from now until they get longer range batteries.

 

In Maryland there seems to be a real glut of PIPs right now. Several dealers have somewhere between 20-40 in stock. Price also seems to have dropped by something like $3000! ( This also means that PIP we bought in March is at least 3-4K less in value. Ouch!) If you want one, may be you can ask some dealer in Marland to send you one back home. Have look at the Fitzgerald web site, fitzmall.com. BTW, I have no connection to any of the dealers, just passing along some info for those interested.

 

nope, not the only dealers in Michigan, Page Toyota in Southfield and Suburban Toyota in Troy